The present embodiments relate to intracardiac echocardiography (ICE).
Percutaneous cardiac interventions are becoming more prevalent compared to “open” heart procedures. Percutaneous interventions may result in shorter patient recovery time and are considered a faster and less risky procedure. No anesthesia may be required.
During percutaneous cardiac interventions, clinicians may rely on one or more image acquisition techniques to guide the operation. ICE is one such technique. For example, the AccuNav ultrasound imaging catheter from Siemens Medical Solutions, USA, is used for ICE. This ultrasound catheter, with the small diameter size and long length, is able to be positioned in nearly every position in the heart chambers and record three or four-dimensional scans. The dynamic resolution is usually decent, but the spatial angle of the field of view may be small compared to the desired range. An experienced sonographer may recognize the important anatomical structures, guide the catheter inside the heart, and operate the device during the intervention. A wider field of view may make recognition of structures, guidance, and operation easier.